Liggende koe, van achter gezien 1657 - 1688

Editor: So, this is *Liggende koe, van achter gezien*, or *Lying Cow, Seen from Behind*, by Marcus de Bye, dating from around 1657 to 1688. It’s an etching. It has such a peaceful, rural quality, almost monumental in its simplicity. What strikes you most about it? Curator: For me, it's about process. Look at how the artist is engaging with the materiality of etching itself. The printmaking process was very much linked to broader industries, such as the making of books, decoration, even scientific diagrams. So, the question here is, how does De Bye use these techniques and materials – this etching medium - to depict something as mundane as a lying cow? Editor: Mmm, mundane but beautifully rendered. I mean, how does the medium affect our perception of the subject matter? Curator: Well, consider that printmaking allowed for reproducibility and wider distribution. Suddenly, images of rural life and livestock became accessible to a larger audience. De Bye's work contributes to a growing interest in representing agricultural practices, suggesting maybe the Netherlands' growing economic strength in the 17th Century was rooted in, dare I say it, cattle! Do you see the way the line weight suggests form and volume, especially how the etched lines capture the textures of the cow's hide? It elevates the humble cow, and agricultural labor itself. Editor: Yes, now that you mention it, it makes me consider the audience of the work; that is to say the intended consumers, perhaps reflecting pride and also investment in agriculture and Dutch commerce… Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. We can clearly see in this work how the material realities of art making informed both subject matter and reception in the Dutch Golden Age.